Red Sox hand Phillies their eighth straight loss

The Phillies returned home Wednesday for the first time in 10 days to find a new addition inside their clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park. Chairs and tables were rearranged to create space for a Ping-Pong table, which instantly became the most popular spot in the room.

Cameron Rupp, the team's catcher stuck in a horrible slump, shaved his beard before the game. Maikel Franco and Luis Garcia taped a mini basketball hoop to an empty locker and shot a foam ball.

It's a long season. They'll do anything to change the mood that hovers over the worst team in baseball.

These are forgettable times — a 7-3 loss to Boston was the eighth straight defeat. It was punctuated by loud "Let's go Red Sox!" chants greeted with apathy from Phillies fans. Boston slapped Jeremy Hellickson for five innings. The Phillies offense was silent, even after Red Sox starter Brian Johnson succumbed to a shoulder injury in the third inning.

The Phillies are 21-43, the franchise's worst record through 64 games since 1945. That team lost 108 games as ownership attempted to rebrand the team as the Blue Jays. That, too, generated an apathetic response.

All that awaits the Phillies on Thursday is Chris Sale, the Boston lefthander who leads the majors with 126 strikeouts.

There are holes up and down the lineup. The reinforcements, for now, will not arrive. Pete Mackanin is tasked with finding some sort of cohesive unit with the current options. The Phillies manager has stashed Michael Saunders on his bench to allow more playing time for Daniel Nava. A similar switch has happened with the catchers, and it could tip toward Andrew Knapp's favor soon.

Rupp started for the second straight night. He went 0 for 4 and struck out in the eighth inning as the tying run at the plate. He has six hits with 22 strikeouts in his last 57 at-bats. His OPS has dipped to .637.

"It's just one of those things you go through," Rupp said. "You have to find your way out of it. It [stinks]. It's tough. And we're not winning, either. It just piles on, piles on, piles on. And sometimes it takes it out of you. You get your mind thinking about, 'How am I going to get these guys out pitching-wise?' Trying to keep us in the game there. Then, all of a sudden, hitting. I still have to hit."

This was the team's 13th game in June. Rupp has started seven and Knapp six. Knapp's production has slowed; the rookie just 4 for 25 this month. But Rupp's slump is so deep that Knapp could steal a majority of time behind the plate.

"He's taking good pitches to hit," Mackanin said. "Lost is a good way to put it. We see a lot of good pitches he takes for strikes. Good fastballs to hit."

After the loss, Rupp and Tommy Joseph retreated to the weight room for a postgame workout. Rupp, dripping sweat more than 20 minutes after the last pitch, shook his head.

"It kind of snowballs," Rupp said. "That's where it's at right now. I just have to get my way out of it. Nobody else can help me. It's my problem I have to fix and get better."

The Phillies have lost all eight of their interleague games this season. They will play 11 more games against the American League after Thursday's series finale with Boston. Since interleague play began in 1997, the Phillies' .433 winning percentage ranks 28th among the 30 teams. … Shortstop J.P. Crawford has not played at triple-A Lehigh Valley since last Saturday because of a "nagging groin strain," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said. The injury could sideline Crawford for a few more days. Klentak said it is "not a long-term concern." … Rookie Nick Pivetta will make his seventh start Thursday. He has a 5.52 ERA.